- Amy Gash at Algonquin Books has acquired world rights to JEWELS FOR THE TAKING by Dean Jobb (THE CASE OF THE MURDEROUS DR. CREAM), a rollicking historical true-crime story of one of the world’s most successful jewel thieves, who charmed the elite of Jazz Age New York and outfoxed police and private detectives as he brazenly swiped ten million dollars in gems from posh Long Island estates. Publication is slated for 2024; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists represented the author.
- Marie Hoy-Kenny‘s THE GIRLS FROM HUSH CABIN, a debut young adult thriller about four estranged former best friends who reunite after the death of their beloved camp counselor, only to realize that there is much more to her death than meets the eye; they decide to investigate, no matter where it takes them or what secrets from years earlier are revealed, to Brandan Deneen at Blackstone Publishing, in a pre-empt, by Jack Heller at Assemble Media on behalf of Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists (world).
- Film and television rights to David A. Robertson’s epic Middle Grade Indigenous fantasy series THE MISEWA SAGA which commences with The Barren Grounds, to ABC Signature, by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists, on behalf of Jackie Kaiser (World).
- 90th Parallel Productions and Groupe Fair-Play have optioned the film rights to Julian Sher’s THE NORTH STAR: CANADA AND THE CIVIL WAR PLOTS AGAINST LINCOLN, which tells the stories of Canadians swept up in history’s turning point, including the man from Montreal who leads the army’s hunt for Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, the first Black doctor in Canada who joins the Union Army and meets the President in the White House, and the Confederate spies and plotters who use Canada as a base to support the Southern cause. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists on behalf of John Pearce.
- Dundurn Press’ President and Publisher Scott Fraser has acquired World English rights to Patricia Westerhof’s THE CANADIAN GUIDE TO CREATIVE WRITING AND PUBLISHING. The text is described as a handbook for Canadian writers at all stages of their careers and will contain creative writing lessons, prompts, and Canadian publishing industry information. Westerhof is an Instructor of Creative Writing at the University of Toronto and the author of a short story collection, a novel, and co-author of creative writing textbook THE WRITER’S CRAFT. The deal was arranged by Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative artists.
- Michael Holmes at ECW Press has acquired world English rights to GIN, TURPENTINE, PENNYROYAL, RUE: A LOVE STORY by Christine Higdon (THE VERY MARROW OF OUR BONES). Set in 1920s Vancouver, the novel explores forbidden love, choices and vengeance, set in motion after a sister’s betrayal leads to a back-alley abortion. Publication is planned for spring 2023; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists represented the author.
- Dundurn‘s Scott Fraser has acquired World, English rights to Bruce Geddes’ CHASING THE BLACK EAGLE, a novel set during the Harlem Renaissance and in Haile Selassie’s Ethiopia, based on one man’s involuntary pursuit of real-life adventurer Hubert Julian. Publication is expected for Fall 2022. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio at Westwood Creative Artists.
- Imogen West has optioned the film and tv rights to Tomson Highway’s KISS OF THE FUR QUEEN, an intimate, deeply personal book celebrating Highway’s birthplace in northern Manitoba, where it meets Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and what is now Nunavut. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists on behalf of Jackie Kaiser.
- Yann Martel’s THE HIGH MOUNTAINS OF PORTUGAL renewed to Jakkajungsin Publishing Co. (Korea), by Tae Eun Kim of Shinwon Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Timothy Findley’s PILGRIM renewed to Neri Pozza Editore (Italy), by Elisa Beretta at The Italian Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
- Kathryn Nicolai’s NOTHING MUCH HAPPENS to Bloom Books (Vietnam), by Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Tara Walker at Tundra Books has acquired on exclusive submission the next two picture books by Linda Bailey (MARY WHO WROTE FRANKENSTEIN). ARTHUR WHO WROTE SHERLOCK is a picture book bio of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, to be illustrated by Isabelle Follath and published in fall 2022. THE GREAT DINOSAUR SLEEPOVER, with Joe Bluhm illustrating for publication in summer 2023, is about how a boy’s birthday party is saved by the unexpected arrival of prehistoric guests, with comic results. Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented Bailey on the world rights deal, with Follath represented by Amy Kitcherside at Pickled Ink and Bluhm repped by Ashley Valentine at Pippin Properties.
- Doug Pepper, Publisher of Signal/McClelland & Stewart, has acquired world rights to John Ibbitson’s THE DUEL: DIEFENBAKER, PEARSON AND THE MAKING OF MODERN CANADA, a life-and-times narrative that tells the story of two men, children of the Victorian era, who led Canada into the atomic age as prime ministers, fighting each other relentlessly but together shaping the Canada we live in today. Publication will be in Fall 2023, by J. The deal was arranged by John Pearce of Westwood Creative Artists.
- Diana Bentley and John Titley have entered into a shopping agreement for Kate Lines’s CRIME SEEN, the author’s memoir about her career from a highway patrol officer to Quantico-trained criminal profiler and Chief Superintendent of the Ontario Provincial Police. Bentley and Titley are represented by Larissa Giroux of Oscars Abrams Zimel & Associates. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists.
- Portland Opera has licensed the stage rights to WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT, with a libretto by the author Rachel Rose. The opera is composed by Leslie Uyeda, and is a love story between two women – one married to a man, mother to a young child, and the other a stranger, living a life of exile – who meet in an imaginary country where being queer is punishable by death. Rose is represented by Hilary McMahon and the deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists.
- Jennifer Chang and Feodor Chin have entered into a shopping agreement for Jack Wang’s WE TWO ALONE, a masterful collection of stories that dramatizes the Chinese diaspora around the world over the past century. Chang is represented by WME and Redrock Entertainment Development, Chin is represented by Established Artists, and both are represented by entertainment attorney Bob L. Johnson. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists on behalf of Jackie Kaiser.
- Timothy Findley’s PILGRIM to Koridor Yayinlari (Turkey), by Atilla Izgi Turgut at Akcali Copyright Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
- Jack Hodgins’s BROKEN GROUND to Gyldendal (Denmark), by Monique Oosterhof at MO Literary Services, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce. This deal is for digital rights only.
- Simon & Schuster Canada’s Janie Yoon has acquired Canadian rights in English to Craig Shreve’s AFRICAN SAMURAI, a powerful literary historical novel set in late sixteenth century Africa, India, and Japan, based on the true-life story of Yasuke, Japan’s first foreign-born samurai and the only samurai to be of African descent. Publication is expected for Spring/Summer 2023. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.
- Tamara Goranson’s THE VINLAND SAGAS series to Mondadori (Italy), by Elisa Beretta at The Italian Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Emmy Nordstrom Higdon.
- Rohinton Mistry’s FAMILY MATTERS to AST/Neclassics (Russia), by Natalia Sanina at Synopsis Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
- Rohinton Mistry’s FAMILY MATTERS to Mahrousa Center for Publishing, Information and Press Services (Arabic), by Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
- Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI to Fabula (Azerbaijan), by Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI renewed to Inkilap Kitavebi Kitabevi (Turkey), by Atilla Izgi Turgut at Akcali Copyright, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Iris Tupholme at HarperCollins Canada has acquired three works of non-fiction by acclaimed award-winning author, journalist, and sought-after speaker Tanya Talaga. The first book will focus on residential schools and the essential reckoning, exploring why the discovery of unmarked graves on residential school grounds has finally resonated with Canadians as well as rest of the world. Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists did the world rights deal, with the first publication slated for 2023.
- Writer-in-residence at Sheridan College and author of THE BUS and BUTTERFLY ON THE WIND Adam Pottle‘s VOICE: ON WRITING WITH DEAFNESS, a memoir and craft book that explores how the author’s deafness has influenced everything about his writing, to Kim Budnick at Tantor, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists.
- Iris Tupholme at HarperCollins Canada has acquired Canadian rights to the memoir BITCOIN WIDOW: LOVE, BETRAYAL, AND THE MISSING MILLIONS by Jennifer Robertson and Stephen Kimber. It explores the fairytale romance Robertson shared with Quadriga founder Gerald Cotton, and the massive investment scandal caused by his unexpected death, that left more than a hundred thousand investors looking for their millions and Jennifer questioning how well she knew her husband. Publication is planned for spring 2022. Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists represented the authors.
- Arsenal Pulp Press publisher Brian Lam has acquired World English rights to IN THE KEY OF DALE, Benjamin Lefebvre’s debut YA novel about a queer sixteen-year-old music prodigy who starts writing letters to his late father. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists for Fall 2022 publication.
- Michael Ignatieff’s BLOOD AND BELONGING renewal to Shanghai Sanhui Culture & Press Ltd. (China), by Claire Qiao at ANA Beijing, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine. (Note: This is a renewal, but United Agents did the original deal.)
- Eleanor Wachtel’s ORIGINAL MINDS and MORE WRITERS & COMPANY renewed to X-Plex (Korea), by Tae Eun Kim at Shinwon, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Stephen Bown’s THE COMPANY to Social Sciences Academic Press (China excluding Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao), by Claire Qiao at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Beijing, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce and Chris Casuccio.
- Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has acquired world rights to the picture book MY CAT DOES BALLET by Robert Heidbreder (Roarchestra) introducing readers to ballet terms and famous dancers through history, as a young dancer compares the antics of his pet with those of his friends, culminating in a “cat”astrophe of a ballet. Matt Schu will illustrate. Publication is set for fall 2023; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and Chad W. Beckerman at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
- Thomas King’s GREEN GRASS, RUNNING WATER to Jeanne Strømberg and partners at Running Water Productions Ltd., by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists on behalf of Jackie Kaiser.
- Caspian Films Productions Ltd., owned by actor, director and producer Megan Follows, has optioned the film and tv rights to Mary Rubio’s critically acclaimed biography of Lucy Maud Montogomery, THE GIFT OF WINGS. The book chronicles her life from her apparently idyllic childhood in Prince Edward Island and passion-filled adolescence, to her legal fights as a world-famous author, and her shattering experiences with motherhood and as a wife to a deeply troubled man. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists on behalf of Jackie Kaiser.
- Allan Levine’s SEEKING THE FABLED CITY, the meticulously researched account of the Jewish experience in Canada, to Winnipeg Jewish Theatre, by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists, on behalf of Hilary McMahon.
